The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan-Chapter 616 - 614 Instant Taste (Second Update)

Li Xianyun had taught the women in the garment workshop how to use the new machinery and then proceeded to the workshop’s backyard.

The women in the backyard were significantly inferior to the female workers in the front yard when it came to weaving and cotton spinning.

Li Xianyun had never intended to rely on these women to produce much cotton clothing, so she had provided them with old cotton-spinning machines and looms.

Li Xianyun suspected that among these people were spies planted by Murong Ce.

A majority of these women were rather indolent, but there were a few who were diligent and steadfast.

Li Xianyun took note of a woman named Jiang Ying, who was quiet to the point of being nearly invisible.

Yet Li Xianyun acutely realized that despite her unobtrusiveness, this woman held a high level of prestige among the other women in the backyard, and she was particularly influential.

Such a person was truly exceptional, and Li Xianyun began to observe her discreetly.

Li Xianyun had stayed at the garment workshop for a day, and it was dark when she returned home, right when a messenger from Zha Xi arrived.

They had come with an order from Zha Xi, requesting Li Xianyun’s assistance with a problem encountered during machinery manufacturing.

Cloaked in starlight, Li Xianyun climbed into the carriage and headed directly to the armament workshop in Liuzhou.

Upon arrival, several people were standing at the entrance waiting, and Li Xianyun was promptly escorted to the innermost workshop as soon as she appeared.

Contrary to the soft hum of the garment workshop, this place was filled with the jarring sounds of hammering iron, dismantling, and assembling.

Men, bare-chested or stripped to the waist, were hauling machinery or pounding hot irons on stone slabs, and the workshop occasionally echoed with the hissing sound of red-hot irons being quenched in water.

The air was permeated with the strange odor of irons being forged.

Li Xianyun felt as though she had entered another world, busy and blisteringly hot compared to the cold outside.

As she made her way, Li Xianyun saw that the armament workshop had, in just two days and nights, constructed many large pieces of machinery, identical to the blueprints she had drawn up, ready to be deployed on the battlefield.

Yelu Yan indeed had an eye for talent; Zha Xi was a rare find. frёewebηovel.cѳm

At the innermost workshop, Li Xianyun unexpectedly came across Yelu Yan.

He was listening to Zha Xi and the Chief craftsman make their report.

Yelu Yan stood tall, his presence particularly striking against the crowd, easily recognizable at a glance.

While listening to the reports, Yelu Yan’s eyes were continuously fixed on the entrance of the workshop.

When Li Xianyun’s delicate figure appeared at the entrance, Yelu Yan’s gaze softened considerably, and a smile unconsciously formed at the corner of his mouth.

Li Xianyun, as usual, kept her identity hidden, only a few craftspeople who had followed from the Shangjing Armament Workshop knew her true identity, but due to the Khan’s prior instructions, no one dared to reveal anything unusual.

Even so, the respect and admiration in their eyes were plainly seen.

A woman, mastering the dull task of machinery production so skillfully, made people rethink their old ways and no longer look down on women.

Li Xianyun approached Yelu Yan and was about to bow to him with a bent arm, but Yelu Yan steadied her arm firmly.

Yelu Yan proclaimed with great dignity, "Young Master Li, there’s no need for such formality. We have encountered an issue with the construction of the moat bridge, and I hope Young Master Li can enlighten us."

It was only then that the crowd, unaware until now, realized that the designer of these machines was none other than this genteel Young Master who seemed unfit for manual labor, casting inquisitive glances towards Li Xianyun.

This Young Master Li was rather too handsome.

Despite his youthful age, he held sway over Zha Xi, who was experienced and knowledgeable, which was both astonishing and wonderous.

In the act of assisting Li Xianyun, Yelu Yan’s hand tightened noticeably, and he moved closer, their clothes brushing together.

Li Xianyun deliberately ignored Yelu Yan’s covert moves and turned her gaze to the partially completed moat bridge.

Zha Xi said, "Young Master Li, both parts of the drawbridge have been made according to your blueprints, but we don’t know what went wrong. After joining them together, they either won’t open or won’t close. We’ve tried several times without success."

Li Xianyun walked over, meticulously examining each connecting component, instructing someone to try opening and closing it.

During the folding and unfolding, the joining parts of the drawbridge emitted a grating, creaking noise, quite unpleasant to the ear.

Li Xianyun asked the craftspeople to bring the assembly and disassembly tools to separate the connecting parts, and that’s when he discovered the problem.

The dimensions of the two connecting pieces of wood were slightly off, causing obstruction when attempting to open and close.

Li Xianyun requested a saw and a carving knife, intending to personally refine the connecting point.

The craftsman who was bringing the tools was not accustomed to seeing the imposing Khan up close and personal, and such nervousness in the presence of such an important figure was bound to lead to mistakes.

As the craftsman was en route with the tools, he tripped over his own feet, sending the saw flying straight toward another craftsman near Li Xianyun.

With quick reflexes, Li Xianyun grabbed the craftsman’s arm and pulled him away.

"Be careful!" With Yelu Yan’s urgent voice, Li Xianyun was drawn into a broad embrace.

Yelu Yan, with his nerves still unsettled, looked down at Li Xianyun in his arms, "Are you alright?"

"I’m fine." Li Xianyun turned his head to see the craftsman he had pulled to safety, releasing the grip on his arm, "Are you okay?"

The craftsman was eternally grateful to Li Xianyun, "Thank you, Young Master Li, for saving my life."

Yelu Yan saw Li Xianyun pulling and steadying the craftsman’s bare arm and immediately felt a twinge of jealousy, his gaze sweeping over sharply.

The moment the craftsman caught the frosty look in his Khan’s eyes, his heart skipped a beat.

Had he done something wrong that had displeased the Khan?

With this thought, the craftsman felt a chill run down his back as if his very life hung by a thread.

He lowered his eyes, careful and compliant, not daring to make any unnecessary movements.

The onlookers were stunned by the scene.

The danger had passed, yet the Khan still held the seemingly delicate Young Master Li without letting go.

Both men were outstanding figures in their own right; despite both being men, their stature and pleasing features were exceptionally well-matched.

Those present who were unaware of the full picture inevitably thought of the Queen, who, since her arrival in Khitan, had been singularly favored by the Khan.

If the Queen were to see the Khan embracing a man so intimately, wouldn’t she be consumed by jealousy?

They couldn’t help but feel pity for the woman who was being coddled in the Khan’s honey jar.

Li Xianyun shifted slightly to the side, prompting Yelu Yan to finally release his hold, his cold eyes falling on the craftsman kneeling on the ground, trembling.

The craftsman prostrated himself, "Please forgive me, Khan, spare my life!"

The workshop was already warm, and uttering these words caused the craftsman to break out in a mixture of cold sweat and normal sweat, large beads dripping onto the floor.

Yelu Yan looked toward Li Xianyun, who was also looking up at him.

Having been in each other’s company for so long, a single glance revealed what she was thinking, and Yelu Yan understood.

"Dock one month’s pay as a warning to others," Yelu Yan’s authoritative voice rang out.

The craftsman had never imagined he would escape punishment so easily and so continued to thank him profusely, still lying on the ground.

"Leave," commanded Yelu Yan indifferently.

After placing the saw and knife back in their spots, the craftsman quickly got up and left, as though fearing that another moment’s delay would seal his fate.